FACULTY OF ARTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1836, 23 August 1913, Page 13

FACULTY OF ARTS.

PROF. RANKING BROWN'S VIEWS. Professor Raaikine Brown, of Christchurch, gavo evidence before tho Educor tion Committee of the House of Representatives vostorday on tho report of tho In-spector-'General (Mr. G. Hogben), so far as that report concerned tho Faculty of Arts. Ho called attention to tho inadequate provision suggested for tho teaching of history and economics, as compared with that suggested for other subjects of no greater importance for New Zealand. in this connection'ho pointed out that tho cultivation of tho historic sense was especially important in a country eo remote from tho main stream of European history as is New Zealand, wliero. the scenery was absolutcily devoid of legend and human interest so far as tho white inhabitants of the country were concerned. Tho somi-soeialistio legislation of the last twenty years had (said tho Professor) brought about a condition of things which was highly interesting to tho economist, and would abundantly repay investigation. Economists visited New Zealand from other countries solely to investigate tlio economic conditions here, and there was an abundant field of virgin soil for investigation on tho spot. If Experimental Psybology was ass«>ciated with Mental Science, tho suggested addition of an assistant to the professor would not (he contended) be sufficient. Mental Scionco would then beepmp an experimental science, and a similar staff would b-i required—a professor, demonstrator; and assistant—os tho amount of laboratory work would ba very considerable. „

Another point to which Professor Rankine Brown called attention was that no provision was made for higher teaching in arts any more tlir.n in soiencei. It was not necessary that each collego should bo fully equipped for this purpose, but arrangements might bo mado so ns to have a homogeneous .group of subjects moro fully staffed in ouo college than, in tho others. This would provide facilities for advanced work ill Now Zealand, though not necessarily at each collego. Ono result of this woulid bo <in inoreaso in tho output of original work in arts subjects in Now Zealand. At present Vhi9 output was low owing partly to the fact that the teachers wero ovei'-\iorked, through having in many cases two subjects to attend to. Tho Arts Faculty might (ho thought) suffer by tho institution of a oommon fee fund on which all subjects were to draw without discrimination. It wias tho great feeproducing clement in tho New Zealand colleges, and there was a danger that its requirements might bo subordinated to tlhoso of tho Science Faculty. Science had nt present caught tho eye of tho public, and, after having been kept down unjustly'by tlie older arts subjects, there was a possibility of its exerdsing some tyranny in its turn. Tho arts subjects, said tho Professor, required special consideration in tho niabtar of library provision. A librniy was all in all to aii arts professor, as it furnished him with tho material on whidh lio_worked. Original work was oVon moro impossible in arts subjects than in scionco subjects, unless a good iibraiiy was provided. Professor Gabbat, of Christcliui'ch, was al;o examined by the'committee.